Heat, cold, and fume resisting wall structure



Tw sz July 11, 1950 J. B. DUBE 2,514,696

HEAT, cow, AND FUME RESISTING WALL STRUCTURE Filed pct. 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 cfa/ /A 5 .0055

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July 11, 1950 J. B. DUBE HEAT, cow, AND FUME RESISTING WALL STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 may (Frill; lib

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47' T0 IPA 5f (Ya/7W 51/55 Patented July 11, 1950 SEARCH Room HEAT, CGLD, AND FUME RESISTING WALL STRUCTURE John B. Dube, Dallas, Tex.

Application October 1, 1945, Serial No. 619,677

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fire, water and chemical proof receptacles and more particularly to improvements in wall constructions capable of resisting the elements referred to.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a wall so constructed with non-combustible, infusible and highly refractable materials that it will withstand relatively high temperatures and extreme cold temperatures without cracking, crumbling, buckling, spoiling and intense strain. The materials employed in the construction of the wall, in addition to possessin structural efiiciency, will withstand many forms of destructive action which are common in chemical and metallurgical processes, thereby rendering the wall structure highly effective in defining storage space such as boxes and safes for containing valuables, closets or other enclosures in which it is sought to protect the contents from fire, water, cold, chemical fumes or other destructive forces.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a box or chest whose walls, top and bottom are constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational View, with the cover partly raised.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing the meeting point between the top and wall in vertical section.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a wall stud and spacer.

Figure 5 is a plan view in transverse section taken on line 55 on Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the box with part broken away to show the wall construction and the joint seal between the top and walls.

In continuing with a more detailed description of the drawings, it is first pointed out that the intent of the invention is to produce a wall whose laminations consist of materials characteristically immune to the effects of heat, cold, gases and water but so related in assembly as to insure greater resistance to the destructive forces of these elements than heretofore provided in past efforts to construct a receptacle for the protection of valuables. While the drawings show a box or chest, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto inasmuch as it is obvious that the same or a similar wall construction may be employed in erecting clothes closets and the like in residences. Moreover, lock boxes, filing cabinets, safes for valuable drawings and blueprints may be constructed, utilizing the principle of the invention to be presently described.

In Figures 1 to 6 is shown an outer shell sheathing IU of steel whose resistance to shocks exteriorly applied is effective to obviate or minimize damage by distorting or chocking the inner wall structure to reduce its insulating qualities. The destructive forces which the steel casing I0 is intended to resist would include impact in falling such as may result should the support for the box give way in a burning building, permitting the box to fall, sometimes from considerable height.

It is to be understood that the walls, top and bottom of the box or receptacle are identical in construction and with this in view, the outer lamination II, next adjacent the steel shell I0 is constructed from carbide slag or of the well known composition of magnesia, asbestos and silica cement or other cement known to possess high heat resistance. The ability of this composition to withstand high temperatures renders the same highly desirable in the construction of the walls, especially the outer lamination.

Also constructed from the above described composition, or a material equal thereto in its heat resisting quality is the inner wall or lamination I2 which forms the inner enclosure or chamber adapted to contain valuables of combustible or inflammable nature.

Between the inner wall I2 and an intermediate wall I3 of the same material is a layer of exfoliated vermiculite or magnesia I4. The three laminations I2, I3 and I4 constitute the walls of the inner chamber above mentioned and separating this chamber from the outer insulating laminations is a void I5, completely surrounding the inner chamber and in which is created a partial vacuum.

To effect relative spacing of the laminations I2, I3 and I 4 and to define the space I5, vertical studs or spacers I6 are interposed between each lamination. Corner studs I! are likewise provided as well as concentric, horizontal frames I8 which maintain spaced relationship of the insulating lamination about the edges of the receptacle. All of the studs, spacers and frames I1 I and I8 are constructed from exfoliated vermiculayer I9 of refractory cement which latter forms a protective coating for the next adjacent lami nation 2|] of exfoliated vermiculite or magnesia. Interposed between this lamination 20 and a parallel lamination 2| of the same material is a lamination 22 of the above mentioned composition or a material having equivalent heat resisting properties.

In order that a partial vacuum may be created and maintained in the void or central space I5, between the inner and outer wall assemblies, it is necessary that the entire surface defining the void or voids between the studs and frames be coated with a sealing compound, such as refractory cement, indicated at a in Figures 1, 3, and 6. Also, to insure equalization of the partial vacuum in these voids, the studs l6 separating them as well as the corner studs I! are provided with transverse passages b which effect communication between the voids.

To pull a partial vacuum in the voids 15, a suitable pump is employed whose intake is applied to a passage 23 (Figs. 3 and 6) in the facing plate 24 which extends about the top of the box to close the spaces IE to define the voids. Having reduced pressure in these voids to partial vacuum, the passage 23 is sealed by a plug 25 (Fig. 3) to maintain said partial vacuum.

The same process is carried out in extractin air from and sealing the cover of the box as well as the bottom thereof, hence the same references characters are employed to denote like parts in the cover, as in Figure 3.

It will be observed in Figure 2 that the cover of the box is hinged at 26. To insure a positive seal against infiltration of any destructive agent between the cover and box proper, tongues 21 of refractory cement or other equivalent material are embedded in the facing 28 of the cover, to be received in corresponding grooves in the facin 24 of the box, as shown in Figure 3.

Of the three compartments formed by the four walls of the box or other enclosure exemplified in all of the figures of the drawing, the intermediate compartment or void l5 has a particular bearing with the elfectiveness of transmission of heat or cold. The walls of this compartment, being lined with plastic material which, upon setting, either with dry or heat process, will prevent the rapid penetration or the passage of volatile elements.

It is obvious that the laminations or sheets of non-combustible and heat resisting materials forming the walls, top and bottom of the box, cabinet or closet, as the case may be may be precut and secured at their meeting edges with equally fireproof cement, to form boxes capable of nesting and afterwards secured in spaced relationship by the studs and frames. On the other hand, the nestable sections of the complete box may be molded under pressure and subsequently secured in proper, spaced relationship as shown and described.

It is understood that any heat and cold insulating materials other than those set forth herein, having the same or better heat and cold resisting qualities may be substituted for those named without departing from the intent and purpose of the invention as set forth in the following claims. The composition referred to in the foregoing is generally produced in two forms, each comprising essentially asbestos, magnesia and silica cement or its equivalent and while one form is produced under great pressure the other is of less density but it is understood that the composition may be employed herein in either form.

What is claimed is:

1. A non-combustible wall construction designed to resist infiltration of heat, cold and destructive gases, comprising inner laminations of sheets consisting of the composition of magnesia,

asbestos and cement, studs of exfoliated vermiculite and refractory cement maintaining spaced relationship of said laminations, an intervening lamination of exfoliated vermiculite, outer laminations of sheets of the first named composition spaced from said inner laminations to define a space between said inner and outer laminations in which is maintained a partial vacuum, a lamination of exfoliated vermiculite interposed between said outer laminations, a coating of refractory cement between certain of the outer of said latter laminations and a metal sheathing overlying the outer lamination of said first mentioned composition.

2. A wall construction designed to resist the destructive forces of fire, cold, water and gases comprising a parallel series of spaced apart laminations of pressed sheets consisting of asbestos, magnesia and silica cement, the inner and outer two laminations having interposing laminations of exfoliated vermiculite, studs of non-combustible material separating said inner and outer laminations defining an intermediate void, coatings of refractory cement lining said void and on said outer interposing lamination of exfoliated vermiculite and a metal sheathing overlying the outer lamination of asbestos, magnesia and ce-' ment aforesaid.

3. A fire resisting wall comp-rising four laminations of high heat resisting material consisting of sheets of asbestos, magnesia and cement, and defining three compartments, the outer and inner of which compartments contain insulating material, the intermediate compartment defining a void, a lamination of heat resisting material on the interior surface of the outer of said laminations, coatings of refractory cement on the walls of said intermediate compartment and between the laminations of the outer compartment and a metal sheathing covering the exterior lamination of said outer compartment.

4. A heat, cold and gas resisting wall including an outer metallic reinforcing sheathing, an outer wall assembly comprising a thin layer of heat resisting material disposed parallel with but spaced inwardly from said sheathing, non-combustible studs separating said sheathing and said heat resisting material, a layer of heat insulating material interposed between said sheathing and said heat resisting material, a second thin layer of heat resisting material against said first thin layer; an inner wall assembly defining a void between said outer and inner wall assembly and consisting of spaced apart layers of heat resisting material and an intermediate layer of insulating material and coatings of refractory cement on the confronting surfaces of the layers defining said void and on the outer surface of the first thin layer of heat resisting material.

JOHN B. DUBE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 129,286 Ludecke July 16, 1872 729,809 Thomas-Kilham June 2, 1903 895,581 Nygreen Aug. 11, 1908 1,116,382 Carpenter Nov. 10, 1914 1,252,790 Dick et al. Jan. 8, 1918 1,453,284 Robe May 1, 1923 

